As winter approaches, the growing need for heating brings the tiered natural gas tariff, which took effect on April 4, 2026, back onto the agenda.

Under the new tariff, the unit price difference between Tier-1 and Tier-2 tariffs applied to residences reaches 50%. Accordingly, while an apartment in Istanbul consuming 101 cubic meters—staying below the November consumption limit—pays a bill of 1,806 TL including taxes and distribution fees, the bill for an apartment using 102 cubic meters of natural gas, exceeding the Tier-1 limit by just 1%, reaches 2,726 TL including taxes and distribution fees. As a result, an excess consumption of just 1 cubic meter increases the total bill by 51%, or 920 TL.

"High bill savings are possible with low-cost maintenance," says H. Ahmet İlhan, Chairman of the Board of Gökçe Brülör, pointing out that measures to increase efficiency in heating systems can reduce both energy consumption and the cost pressure on bills.

As temperatures drop, natural gas consumption and heating expenses come to the fore once again, with the tiered tariff system that took effect on April 4, 2026, becoming decisive in calculating bills. Under this practice, if the consumption limit set for each province and month is exceeded, not only the excess amount but the total natural gas consumption for that billing period is charged at the higher Tier-2 rate.

Price difference between Tier-1 and Tier-2 is 69.5 percent

According to the tariff announced by BOTAŞ, the price per cubic meter of natural gas stands at 10.62 TL in Tier-1 and 18 TL in Tier-2. The price difference between the two tiers reaches 69.5 percent. When taxes and distribution fees are included, the Tier-1 price becomes 17.88 TL, and the Tier-2 price becomes 26.73 TL. The difference between the two tiers is 8.85 TL, reaching approximately 49.5 percent. This final price may also vary depending on the distribution region.

Price difference between the two tiers is 920 TL

Exceeding the November consumption limit in Istanbul by just 1 cubic meter can increase the natural gas bill by 920 TL. For this reason, the efficient operation of heating systems and keeping natural gas consumption under control are vital for protecting household budgets during the winter months.

Energy savings of up to 15%

Drawing attention to rising natural gas costs in winter and the effects of the tiered tariff implementation, H. Ahmet İlhan, Chairman of the Board of Gökçe Brülör, said:

"In the winter months when natural gas consumption increases, to keep energy costs under control, it is necessary to consider not only consumption but also the efficiency of heating systems. In particular, it is of great importance that burners used in central heating systems undergo regular maintenance, combustion settings are checked, and system performance is optimized. With proper maintenance and adjustments, energy savings of up to 15% can be achieved."

The difference between two buildings is 1,268 TL per apartment per month

Illustrating the savings potential with a concrete example, İlhan compared two apartment buildings within the same development featuring identical heat loss values. He stated that in a building consuming 110 cubic meters of natural gas per apartment monthly, consumption could drop to 93.5 cubic meters if a 15% savings is achieved through regular burner maintenance and correct combustion adjustments. Under this scenario, while the monthly natural gas bill per apartment in the building with regular burner maintenance would be 1,672 TL, it reaches 2,940 TL in the unmaintained building. The difference between the two buildings reaches 1,268 TL per apartment per month. In an average 24-apartment building, calculated over a five-month heating season, the annual savings reach approximately 152,000 TL. The cost of periodic maintenance is less than 10% of this savings amount.

İlhan advises apartment and residential complex managers to have periodic maintenance of central heating systems performed before the winter months begin in order to take advantage of this savings potential.

Technical support at 140 locations across Turkey!

With an authorized service network operating at 140 locations across Turkey, Gökçe Brülör aims to increase energy efficiency and prevent cost increases arising from tiered natural gas tariffs in residences by performing regular maintenance and inspections of burners.